My favorite spiritual principle
This simple idea is applicable in most of everyday situations, it invokes your creativity and it feels amazing.
I learned this idea from Alexandra Franzen, who learned it from Dan Savage. Who learned it from… who knows. Doesn’t matter. This idea is so good that it will change you forever. Regardless of who came up with it first.
Here we go.
My favorite spiritual principle is:
“Leave everything — apartments, national parks, people’s hearts — in better condition than you found them.”
Let me say it again:
“Leave everything- apartments, national parks, people’s hearts in better condition than you found them.”
Wow. I shared this idea hundreds of times on Quora and every single time it sparked joy in people. It resonated with many. It left many people in better condition.
After writing about it so many times, it started popping into my mind in number of situations.
When I see a shirt or a dress that has slipped from the hanger in a store, I pick it up and put it back. I am regularly washing the spills of coffee around the sink at my workplace. (Somebody else’s spills. I don’t care.)
I am closing the drawers and picking up the used paper towels behind my colleagues in the lab. I don’t know if they notice or not. I just want the lab looks better than when I came in.
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon an empty Red Bull can as I was walking to work. My first thought was: “These spoiled, careless kids!” But the next thought was: “Wait, let’s improve the situation.” I picked up the can and dumped it in a recycling bin. It wasn’t hard. And it felt good.
This week a new student came to the cubicle next to mine. I hesitated for a moment but then started talking to her. We had the most lovely conversation. She has just started a new program and was quite scared by the avalanche of new requirements. I encouraged her and shared some useful, survival tips. She was so grateful. And I was, too. Because after our conversation, I know she felt better.
Too often we are walking through life silently complaining, hating things that surround us, judging people and feeling miserable. Too often we look around ourselves thinking: “It’s not my job.” And we feel awful. We stifle our creativity and our world shrinks.
But we can change the perspective. In every moment we have an opportunity to add love or to block love. In every moment, we have an opportunity to praise and thank and help or to take a quick look and walk away. Or to hate. Or to be a skeptic. The choice is there all the time.
The simple spiritual principle of improving whatever and whoever you encounter can be used in various everyday situations.
Start small and use your creativity. Improve the atmosphere in the room. Tell a joke. Give a compliment, a praise, or encouragement. Do what is not your job. Offer your help generously.
If you improve one little situation daily, you will end up making the world a lot better place after some time. And that’s the whole point. (Plus, it feels good.)
I hope reading this post left you in a better condition than you were before you started.
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